Shiori, You're Level One Now. Time to Challenge the Boss. (Part 2)

To outsiders, the scene looked like one of harmonious teachers, friends, and disciples.

As the directive arrived, a beam of light descended upon everyone in the room.

As the wizard boarded the battleship, Rattatoskr's people practically howled like dogs let off their leashes.

"Pop the champagne! Hurry up and pop the champagne!!"

"Where are the fireworks? Set them off already!!"

"Get the firecrackers going too!"

An ancient wizard had joined Rattatoskr. Such an event truly deserved a party lasting ten days and nights.

Birds of a feather flocked together. Pure people were often surrounded by other pure people.

A group of pure people had achieved their simple goal, and everyone was delighted.

Except—

The figure standing beside the commander's position.

Muramasa Reion.

Or rather, Mio Takamiya.

Inviting Russell aboard had originally been her own proposal.

Yet now, her eyes were lowered, and her sky-blue gaze was filled with gloom.

She etched every action taken by that wizard deeply into her memory.

She had thought that man was one of her own kind, but that clearly was not the case.

He was of the same kind as Wescott and the others.

The creator of Spirits.

From a rational standpoint, he was someone she absolutely did not want as an enemy.

Yet this very person—someone she would normally take the initiative to avoid—was now adopting Spirits, overseeing Rattatoskr, and trying to take Itsori as his disciple...

It was truly troublesome.

Or rather...

It had already reached the point of being deeply unpleasant.

Interfering with another person's plans to such an extent was far too unreasonable, even for one of the creators' kind.

Perhaps...

She ought to make a second set of preparations as well.

The gloom in her eyes faded, gradually returning to calm.

The next day.

Russell woke